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Five Minutes with Anne-Marie Ouellet
May 9, 2022In April, as part of NAC French Theatre’s 2021–22 season, Anne-Marie Ouellet of the theatre collective L’eau du bain presented two plays for two different audiences. White Out was conceived for an adult audience and La chambre des enfants was made for children. Through innovative lighting…
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Barbara Irving - Follow Your Bliss
May 9, 2022Mythologist Joseph Campbell is perhaps best known for his advice to “follow your bliss”. Barb Irving has done just that by making the performing arts—one of her greatest passions—central to her life. Barb was a graphic designer with the NAC for almost three decades before her retirement…
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The NAC Orchestra: Sharing Stories
May 9, 2022When live performing arts was suspended in March 2020, the NAC Orchestra continued to seek new ways to engage with communities from across Canada, collaborate with diverse, Canadian artists, and to tell the breadth of stories of our country and our world. Thanks to your generous support,…
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Give while you live: Donald K. Johnson’s historic $1M gift to the GGPAA
February 24, 2022Canadian philanthropist and businessman Donald K. Johnson was born and raised in Lundar, Manitoba and currently lives in Toronto, Ontario. Known for being one of the most successful investment bankers on Bay Street, Mr. Johnson is also recognized for advocating tax changes to encourage…
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Dancers in the Sky
February 14, 2022The Kipnes Lantern is often referred to as the NAC’s “Fifth Stage”, and rightly so. The Lantern, named after longtime NAC Foundation donors Dianne and Irv Kipnes, is a signature feature of the NAC’s architectural rejuvenation. Since 2017, the Lantern has served as a beacon for the…
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Earth Medicine: Dancing the Land
February 14, 2022To support performing artists during the pandemic, NAC Indigenous Theatre invited artists from across the country to create brief digital works using the land as their source of inspiration. The result is Dancing the Land—passionate, raw and beautiful explorations of the artists’…
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Giving Back to Health Care Heroes
November 29, 2021“This year has been so stressful but to know that our community is thinking of us and took the time to prepare this generous gift, was worth so much. I laughed and cried at the event.” —Shelley, an HR Coordinator at The Ottawa Hospital Thanks to generous donor support, over 100…
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For Love of Friends and the Performing Arts
November 29, 2021Susan and John Melvin may have stopped calling the Ottawa area home in 1996, but the NAC has a permanent home in their hearts. The couple, who settled in beautiful Niagara wine-country more than a decade ago, have a rich reserve of memories to draw from. They began attending performances…
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Grand Acts of Great Hope: An Enormous Creative Gift
October 15, 2021Following the success of Grand Acts of Theatre, this summer NAC English Theatre once again brought together some of Canada’s most inventive artists with Grand Acts of Great Hope. “This open call ignited the imaginations of theatre and dance companies across the country, while also opening…
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Impact Report 2020-2021
August 26, 2021A HEARTFELT THANK YOU Looking back on last season we have much to celebrate and it’s thanks to you, our donors that helped make it all possible. You helped create inspiring and innovative programming like: • NAC English Theatre’s Grand Acts of Theatre, which engaged 13 of Canada’s most…
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BIG BANG: An Incredible Celebration of Music
March 8, 2021Thanks to generous donors like you, thousands of children from across the country were transported on a magical, musical adventure from the comfort of their homes the weekend of February 13 and 14 during the BIG BANG festival. This year BIG BANG’s Artistic Director and Associate Artistic…
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Livestreams: Creating a New Stage for Canada’s Performing Artists
February 3, 2021Thanks to your generous support, the NAC Orchestra and performing artists from across the country have found a new stage through the NAC’s livestreams. In response to the closure and limited capacity of performing arts venues, the NAC has showcased many beloved artists through livestream…
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Spreading Love through Music
February 3, 2021As passionate supporters of the performing arts, you know that music, dance and theatre can be powerful expressions of love. This year, to show appreciation for dearly missed audience members, the NAC Orchestra invited patrons to dedicate a virtual performance to a loved one as part of a…
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Gerry and Rebecca Grace – Loyal patrons, loyal donors
December 2, 2020“The shows we’ve seen on the stages of the National Arts Centre are equal to if not better than those we have seen in New York, London, Berlin and other places around the world”. So say Gerry and Rebecca Grace of Ottawa, and they should know, after seeing hundreds of amazing and memorable…
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Jim and Pat Whitehead – Patrons, performers
December 2, 2020It was love at first sight — almost! Jim Whitehead first met his wife Pat almost 80 years ago when they were children. “Pat came to visit relatives in Orangeville, Ontario, where I lived at the time and we became friends.” Years passed, both married other people and, when they by chance…